In Decem­ber 2009, Alan P. Gross was arrested while in Cuba work­ing as a U.S. gov­ern­ment sub­con­trac­tor for the U.S. Agency for Inter­na­tional Devel­op­ment (USAID) for bring­ing satel­lite phones and com­puter equip­ment to mem­bers of Cuba’s small Jew­ish com­mu­nity. He was held in jail, and, in March, 2011 was con­victed for “acts against the inde­pen­dence or the ter­ri­to­r­ial integrity of the state”.

What does “acts against the inde­pen­dence or the ter­ri­to­r­ial integrity of the state” means? It means that, in Cuba, attempt­ing to pro­vide access to the inter­net is a crime.

In other words, Mr. Gross is a nego­ti­at­ing chip. Ms. Vidal would not say what Cuba wants in exchange for let­ting him go, but the release of sev­eral Cuban intel­li­gence offi­cers con­victed in 2001 of spy­ing on the U.S. is likely on the list.

Gross, 63, has lost over 100lbs and has a large lump grow­ing on his back, which under the “excel­lent free health­care” Cubans endure are con­sid­ered “chronic ill­nesses that are typ­i­cal of his age.”

In December 2009, Alan P. Gross was arrested while in Cuba working as a U.S. government subcontractor for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for bringing satellite phones and computer equipment to members of Cuba’s small Jewish community. He was held in jail, and, in March, 2011 was convicted for “acts against the independence or the territorial integrity of the state”.

What does “acts against the independence or the territorial integrity of the state” means? It means that, in Cuba, attempting to provide access to the internet is a crime.

In other words, Mr. Gross is a negotiating chip. Ms. Vidal would not say what Cuba wants in exchange for letting him go, but the release of several Cuban intelligence officers convicted in 2001 of spying on the U.S. is likely on the list.

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